2-Nitropropane (2-NP) is a

solvent A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...

. It is a colorless liquid and is classified as a

nitro compound In organic chemistry, nitro compounds are organic compounds that contain one or more nitro functional groups (). The nitro group is one of the most common explosophores (functional group that makes a compound explosive) used globally. The nitr ...

Preparation

2-Nitropropane is produced by the high-temperature vapor-phase nitration of

propane Propane () is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula . It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used a ...

, usually with impurities of 1-nitropropane. 2-Nitropropane is also produced as a volatile by-product that can be captured during Leonard's ring-closure

hydantoin Hydantoin, or glycolylurea, is a heterocyclic organic compound with the formula CH2C(O)NHC(O)NH. It is a colorless solid that arises from the reaction of glycolic acid and urea. It is an oxidized derivative of imidazolidine. In a more general sen ...

preparation.

Uses

2-Nitropropane is used as a solvent or additive in inks, paints, adhesives, varnishes, polymers, resins, fuel, and coatings. It is also used as a feedstock for other industrial chemicals, and also in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals such as

phentermine Phentermine ( phenyl- tertiary-butyl amine), with several brand names including Ionamin and Sentis, is a medication used together with diet and exercise to treat obesity. It is taken by mouth for up to a few weeks at a time, after which the ben ...

chlorphentermine Chlorphentermine (trade names Apsedon, Desopimon, Lucofen) is a serotonergic appetite suppressant of the amphetamine family. Developed in 1962, it is the 4-chloro derivative of the better known appetite suppressant phentermine, which is still in ...

, and

teclozan Teclozan is an antiprotozoal agent Antiprotozoal agents ( ATC code: ATC P01) is a class of pharmaceuticals used in treatment of protozoan infection. A paraphyletic group, protozoans have little in common with each other. For example, ''Entamoeb ...

. It serves as an

oxidant An oxidizing agent (also known as an oxidant, oxidizer, electron recipient, or electron acceptor) is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or " accepts"/"receives" an electron from a (called the , , or ). In other words, an oxid ...

in the

Hass–Bender oxidation In organic chemistry, the Hass–Bender oxidation (also called the Hass–Bender carbonyl synthesis) is an organic oxidation reaction that converts benzyl halides into benzaldehydes using the sodium salt of 2-nitropropane as the oxidant. This name ...

process.

Safety

2-Nitropropane is a constituent of

tobacco smoke Tobacco smoke is a sooty aerosol produced by the incomplete combustion of tobacco during the tobacco smoking, smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products. Temperatures in burning cigarettes range from about 400 °C between puffs to abo ...

. Based on studies in animals, it is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen and it is listed as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nitropropane, 2- Nitroalkanes Nitro solvents Isopropyl compounds